


Nearly Missed Connections

by SalazarTipton



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Airports, F/F, Getting Together, Netflix and Chill, Sharing a Bed, Snowed In, okay the start of chill, trying to get home for the holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 15:32:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12535064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalazarTipton/pseuds/SalazarTipton
Summary: Prompt: clizzy + "we're childhood/teenage friends who haven't seen each other in years and just bumped into each other at the airport coming home"





	Nearly Missed Connections

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ohprongs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohprongs/gifts).



> Happy birthday, Charl!!!!!!!! I love you so much and hope you have a wonderful day! You deserve it. I'm so glad you're in my life. You're a wonderful person and friend. <3  
> Also, thank you so much to ali (theloverneverleaves) for beta'ing this for me <3
> 
> ( [also posted on Tumblr](http://peachstiles.tumblr.com/post/166883039908/ship-of-your-choice-were-childhoodteenage))

Isabelle bounces in her seat, checking the time on her phone. She tries to remain relaxed, but if these people in front of her didn't hurry up collecting their carry-ons from the overhead compartment then she was going to miss her connecting flight. She knew travelling around the holidays wouldn't be fun, but the amount of stress she's already been faced with is already is verging on ridiculous. She’s convinced airports are just out to get her.

 

Finally, when the couple gets out of her way, she's fast-walking across the airport with her roller bag trailing behind her. She pauses to check the flights board just in case something has changed since her ticket was printed in Madrid. /New York, New York, New York,/ she scans down the list. Yes! Still the same!

 

She books past the moving sidewalk down a long expanse of hallway connecting the two terminals and dodges her way through the crowds around the food court. She's never been more pleased with herself to be so agile in heeled boots. Without them, she's sure she would have been lost amongst the basketball team trying to order from a kiosk and would have missed the tiny sign above an adjacent hallway pointing towards her gate. 

 

When Gate C16 is just feet away, a crackling trails over the speakers before a flight attendant makes an announcement: "Flight 4962 to New York has been delayed due to severe weather..."

 

"Seriously?" she mutters to herself. 

 

She slowly makes her way over to the flight screen to see if there's a time. It's blocked from her view by a small group of people that converged on it when the announcement was made. Isabelle pulls out her phone to check her app instead when a flash a flaming hair catches her eye. 

 

Sure enough, Clary freakin' Fray is muscling her way through to see the board for herself. Isabelle can't help, but think about how good she looks. Sure, she's rocking the airport chic standard of leggings, a loose fitting top, and a flannel wrapped around her waist, but those heeled combat boots set it apart. She smiles to herself, remembering back in high school when Clary insisted she'd never be able to wear heels like Isabelle, claiming she couldn't pull them off. 

 

Now here she is, pushing guys in business suits out of her way wearing those boots and a look of pissed off determination. Isabelle doesn't realize her lips are parted in a soft, taken aback smile. 

 

"Tomorrow morning?" she barely makes out Clary groaning out. 

 

"Clary!" Isabelle calls out to her when she emerges from the throng of stressed out travellers, waving her arm to get her attention. 

 

"Izzy?" Clary asks when she spots her and all-but-runs over. 

 

Isabelle catches her easily in a huge hug, pressing her face into Clary's neck covered in fiery curls. She breathes in deep and grins. She feels Clary squeeze her extra tight before letting her go just enough to get a look at her face. 

 

"I haven't seen you in so long! How's Europe been? How are you? I've seen your Instagram posts and it seems like you're having the time of your life," Clary immediately starts spouting excited questions, all annoyance over the flight forgotten for the moment. 

 

"You're one to talk," Isabelle retorts, lifting a hand to tuck away a loose curl back behind Clary's ear. "You're teaching art now? And don't think I didn't see that commission you got for that mural down the street from Magnus' place." 

 

They catch up for a few minutes, caught up in the excitement of seeing each other again until another one of those generic airport announcements to not trust stray luggage comes on--reminding them of their surroundings. 

 

"Shit, I gotta figure out what to do about my flight," Clary says with a frown. "Are you flying home?" 

 

"I was until my flight was moved," Isabelle says, motioning to the gate beside them slowly emptying of people. 

 

"Wait, we're on the same one! It's been pushed back 'til 10 tomorrow. Wanna come with me to the help desk?" Clary asks around the wide, open smile that spread across her lips when she realized Isabelle is coming home with her. "I do not want to spend the night here if I can help it."

 

Isabelle nods and takes her hand in hers as they make their way back down the hallway to their airline’s help desk, queuing up behind ten other people hoping to avoid sleeping in the airport tonight. 

 

As they wait, they catch up, sharing stories of all that’s happened since they last saw each other nearly two years ago now at Isabelle’s going away party. She glad she went to school where she did and all that she’s accomplished while she’s been away, but seeing Clary again is bringing back all those feelings of why it was so hard to leave in the first place. 

 

“So, uh, how have things been with you and Jace?” Isabelle asks when a lulls starts in the conversation as they move up in line. 

 

“He didn’t tell you?” Clary asks, looking a little awkward for a split second before shaking her head to herself. “Who am I kidding? Of course he didn’t. Jace and I ended things on good terms about a year ago. We both had...other interests.”

 

Isabelle quirks an eyebrow at her. “What other interests? You guys were always so set on each other.”

 

“We were. Then Jace  _ finally  _ realized it wasn’t that he hated Simon, but that he--”

 

“Was totally in love with him?” Isabelle finishes for her in a large laugh. She hops a little to herself in mini celebration. “I knew it!” 

 

Clary smiles at her and goes into telling all about how embarrassing they’ve been together since. While Isabelle is happy her brother let go of his ego long enough to let something good into his life, she’s caught on a little detail: who was Clary’s other interest? Before Isabelle could brace herself to ask, it’s their turn with the clerk. 

 

After some pouting at a few phone calls on the clerk’s part, they make their way outside into the snow that’s coming down heavier and heavier as each minute goes by and order an Uber to the hotel. Clary unties the flannel from her waist and slips into it, holding it closed with her arms across her chest--cleary cold. Isabelle shakes her head a little and holds open her bomber jacket. 

 

“Come here,” Isabelle says with an eye roll. Clary gives her a chagrined smile and scuttles forward, wrapping her hands around Isabelle’s back instead her coat and sighs against her cheek at the warmth. 

 

Isabelle closes her eyes, leaning her forehead against Clary’s cheek and soaks her in. She can feel the snowflakes melting on her face, but doesn’t mind. She’s too focused on Clary’s deft fingers tracing along the knobs of her spine to care much for anything else around her. 

 

“Are either of you Isabelle?” 

 

They quickly separate to find a driver trying to get their attention. Isabelle checks her phone. Yup, it’s their Uber. They pile their carry-ons in before climbing into the SUV themselves. They make chitchat with the driver about airports, where their headed, where their from, and  _ this damn weather _ , as he puts it. Isabelle doesn’t agree; she’s always loved snowy days, but doesn’t voice her thoughts. 

 

Clary takes their voucher up to the counter once inside the hotel while Isabelle texts Alec, informing him of change in flights as well as reprimanding him for neglecting to tell her about Jace’s lovelife. 

 

“Okay, I don’t think you’ll mind, but all they had left was a room with a king-sized bed. Apparently a lot of flights were grounded when the storm rolled in,” Clary says, holding up two hotel key cards. 

 

“You mean we get to snuggle up in a huge, comfortable bed and watch something on Netflix together instead of being in an airport all night? Yeah, not going to work for me,” Isabelle jokes, taking a key from her and pocketing her phone. 

 

The night plays out like so many did back in high school, hell even back in middle school. They curl in on each other while watching badly written horror movies, laughing at them instead of being scared by all the fake blood and gore. Isabelle’s head ends up on Clary’s shoulder. She’s not sure when it happens, but she finds herself being lulled to sleep by Clary’s hand running through her long locks while the other traces her palm in Clary’s lap. 

 

“I’ve really missed you,” Clary whispers into the crown of her head. Isabelle gives her hand a gentle squeeze.

 

“I’ve missed you too.”

 

When the second movie ends in about the worst cliffhanger ever written, Isabelle closes the lid to her laptop. The sit for a moment in the dark room, not wanting to move or break the gentle comfort that’s fallen around them in the midst of the scary movie. 

 

“Clary?” Isabelle whispers. 

 

“Yeah, Izzy?”

 

“Earlier, you said you and Jace had other interests. You never said what yours is…”

 

She could hear Clary swallow before she shifted, putting an inch or so between the two of them. Isabelle instantly misses her warmth. She reaches out to take Clary’s hand and waits for her to continue. 

 

“I know this might sound...I don’t know, dumb? Maybe pathetic? I mean, it’s been so long and we haven’t even--” Clary cuts herself off the a large sigh. Isabelle feels the hope bubble up in her chest and doesn’t have the strength to tamp it down. “I…”

 

Isabelle closes the space between them, their faces hovering so close together Isabelle feels the shaky breath Clary tries to hide her letting out at her movement. 

 

“Tell me if I’ve read this wrong,” she finds the confidence to say before gently and slowly leaning in until their lips press together. 

 

Instead of pushing her away or any of the many ways Isabelle imagined this going wrong, Clary returns the kiss and within seconds, cups Isabelle’s face with her hands, holding them even closer together. The ferocity of her actions speaks to how much she wants this, how long she’s been waiting; Isabelle knows exactly how she feels. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think in the comments! They mean the world to me (and kudos ain't so bad either <3 ). 
> 
> Come find me on tumblr: [peachstiles](http://peachstiles.tumblr.com/)


End file.
